1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spindle motor and a disk drive apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spindle motors arranged to rotate disks are installed in hard disk drive apparatuses and optical disk drive apparatuses. Such a spindle motor includes a stationary portion fixed to a housing of the apparatus, and a rotating portion arranged to rotate while supporting the disk(s). While the spindle motor is running, a torque centered on a rotation axis is produced by magnetic flux generated between the stationary portion and the rotating portion, so that the rotating portion is caused to rotate with respect to the stationary portion.
Here, JP-A 2009-189157 discloses the following structure: “a connection portion of a flexible circuit board connected with an armature is accommodated in a recessed portion defined in a middle region 213 of a lower surface of a base plate of a motor, and a led-out portion extending from the connection portion is arranged in a groove portion arranged to join the recessed portion and a peripheral region arranged around the middle region. The connection portion is covered with a resin layer defined as a result of a thermosetting adhesive being cured”. This structure prevents a fluid resin material from overflowing into the peripheral region.
However, when the connection portion of the flexible circuit board is arranged directly under the motor as is the case with the above structure, it is impossible to minimize the height of the motor to achieve a reduction in the axial thickness thereof. On the other hand, an attempt to reduce the thickness of the base plate for the accommodation of the connection portion of the flexible circuit board leads to a problem of a reduction in rigidity of the base plate.